Angella Okutoyi, Kenya’s rising tennis star, is ardently pursuing her Olympic dream at the ITF W75 Zephyrhills Tournament in sunny Florida. The tournament, which kicked off yesterday, promises intense competition as it progresses into the first round of matches today.
Fresh from her 2022 Wimbledon Open doubles junior victory, Okutoyi is determined to deliver a stellar performance. Her goal? To secure a coveted spot at the Paris Summer Olympics. With a current WTA Singles ranking of 549, she has her sights set on breaking into the top 400 by June 10 to guarantee her participation in the prestigious games.
Okutoyi’s recent campaign at the ITF Boca Raton Tournament, also in Florida, ended in the quarterfinals where she faced a challenging match against America’s Allie Kiick, resulting in a 1-6 0-6 defeat.
However, the 20-year-old Kenyan had a strong start, claiming victories over Claire An and Lilian Poling, both from the United States, with identical scores of 6-4 6-3 in the initial rounds.
A successful qualification for the Paris Olympics would mark another historic achievement for Okutoyi this year, following her remarkable win at the African Games in March. There, she triumphed over Egypt’s Lamis Abdelaziz with a score of 6-4 6-2, earning her the distinction of being the first Kenyan to clinch a gold medal at the African Games in 46 years—a feat last achieved by Jane Davies-Doxzon in 1978.
Moreover, Okutoyi’s victory also made her the first Kenyan tennis player to secure an African Games medal in 37 years, a record previously held by Judy Wakhungu, who won bronze in 1987.
As Okutoyi continues to make waves in the tennis world, her journey towards the Olympics is a testament to her skill, determination, and the potential to inspire a new generation of athletes.
